How much of that do you think is because people were no longer chained to employment in order to get health coverage? Or the dropping of pre-existing conditions which had people afraid to lose their coverage so they remained working?

Well Putin shits on all western leaders when it comes to popularity. The more russophobic america and europe gets, more popular Putin gets.

Seems like he is going for a second term.

So much hate on this thread.

It all depends on when the next economic collapse will happen. The 2008 bubble started with Clinton, Bush got a relative big bubble from Clinton, but the Fed managed to blow air into the bubble for the his hole first term, this is why he was reelected, but when the bubble finally burst in 2008 right before the elections, it killed any chances for a Republican candidate to be elected, resulting in Obama's victory. Then Obama together with the Fed did what all politians do when elected: they kicked the can down the road, growing another, but even bigger bubble during his 2 terms, a bubble that Trump now has to deal with, and he is just doing the same as his predecessors: kicking the can down the road as long as they can. If the bubble pops in his first term, he will lose the elections, but if he manages to blow air into this bubble until 2020, he will get another term.

I do agree with you, because of elections politicians usually bet on short term (2 years) that they can roll on the mid of their term instead of real long term projects that would give real benefits but no reelection.

But if Trump can manage the bubble and keep employment growing and change some of the consumption economy to more infra structure then his approval can hold and he be reelected with much hate and not understanding from Democrats.

Exactly what "good" has he done for the country?!?

Obama said time for change but in reality trump seems to be bringing the most change.

What I get from this is if you get elected during the up of the economical cycle you can get away with pretty much anything.

Sure, from the left's perspective it's all bad because they need him to fail but to everyone else, here's doing good. I already replied with a list to another user.

Yep. You nailed it.